Autologous chondrocyte implantation

In one operation (eg arthroscopy) a bit of healthy cartilage is removed. The matrix is broken down in the laboratory and the chondrocytes (cartilage cells) are multiplied.

The defect is cleaned up and then the chondrocytes are then injected behind a membrane that is sewn onto the defect

The two-stage procedure of ACI

This is known as a two-stage procedure, because the surgeon needs one procedure to harvest some healthy cartilage from a less important area and send the sample to a laboratory for culture (where they are multiplied and make many cells), and then there is a second procedure to implant the expanded cells into the damaged area to grow into healthy cartilage.

Synonyms:

ACI

ACT

Autologous chondrocyte transplantation

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Related Content

This is the editor's 'interpretation' of a 2011 publication in the medical journals that gives an overview of cartilage injury, a brief description of current treatment options and outcomes, and a discussion of principles and techniques of MACI.

This is the editor's interpretation of a 2009 medical publication outlining a study that was undertaken by a team from the Cartilage Repair Center at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts in 2009.